EXCLUSIVE: Photos Reveal Rob Lowe’s Massive Custom-Built Montecito Mansion That Took Five Years – and Millions of Dollars – to Complete
Christmas has come early Rob Lowewhose custom-built Montecito mega-home appears to finally be complete after a five-year construction period.
Lowe, 61, and his wife, Sheryl Berkoffbroke ground on their massive project shortly after purchasing a $13 million property in 2020 in the same neighborhood as Oprah Winfrey And Prince Harry And Meghan Markle.
The duo promptly demolished the existing house, which was built in 1925, to make way for a brand new estate that takes up a good portion of their 15-acre plot.
Since then, the couple — who recently sold their Beverly Hills home for $4 million after it sat on the market for more than a year — have watched and waited as their dream home was brought to life in a lengthy and undoubtedly arduous process.
Now, new images capture the enormous abode in all its completed glory, revealing the many impressive amenities installed in and around the main home, from picture-perfect landscaping and water features to a huge outdoor pool and tennis court.
Lowe and Berkoff’s new home appears to be much larger than the five-bedroom main residence that once occupied the lot, which also included two cottages, one with two bedrooms and another with one bedroom.
Building permits viewed by Realtor.com® show that the couple received permission to build a separate guesthouse on the property; However, the documents state that the building cannot be equipped with a kitchen or used as a rental property.
Additionally, the duo was given the green light to build a large freestanding pool cabana, which can be seen in photos of the completed property. This cabana also features a beautiful outdoor seating area with a large fire pit in the center and steps leading down to the pool via a glittering fountain.
The gardens, which looked little more than a plot of land at the start of the construction process, are now filled with lush vegetation and perfectly manicured lawns that slope naturally away from the main house.
The main residence offers at least three levels of living, with a large covered terrace, complete with outdoor dining space, and a huge wrap-around terrace on the second floor.
In true Californian style, the home has an indoor/outdoor design with enormous windows that take full advantage of the beautiful grounds surrounding the main residence.
The modern country house is a far cry from the historic home that previously occupied the plot – and was described as a ‘beautiful relic’ in a heritage listing report.
“[The home] represents one of Montecito’s finest historic estates, offering three homes in a rural setting,” the original listing description read, adding that the property was seeking a buyer who could “artfully balance” the property with “the contemporary expression of fine Montecito living.”
Lowe and Berkoff received a significant discount on their purchase of the property, which was known as Stonehedge and was originally for sale for $14.5 million – $1.5 million more than they paid.
According to Siteline Santa Barbara, the house got its name because of its status as the first house in the area to be guarded by stone walls.
Lowe and Berkoff will know their new neighborhood well, which is just a few minutes’ drive from the community where they sold their last Montecito mansion for $44.5 million in 2020.
Like their new estate in Santa Barbara, that home was also custom built for Lowe and Berkoff on a beautiful 3.4-acre lot.
Two years after Lowe and Berkoff sold it, the house was snapped up Adam Levine And Behati Prinsloo for $52 million – and was subsequently sold by the couple earlier this year for the lofty price of $60 million.
Interestingly, Levine and Prinsloo once again followed in Lowe’s footsteps when they purchased a new home in Montecito just a few minutes from the actor’s custom-built home, purchasing a home that was once part of Oprah’s iconic “Promised Land” estate.
Lowe has not lived in Montecito since 2020, when she and Berkoff vacated their former mansion. At that point, they reportedly moved to their Beverly Hills estate while they waited for work on their lavish new home to be completed.
Perhaps anticipating the completion of that work, Lowe and Berkoff put their Beverly Hills mansion up for sale in July 2024 with an asking price of $6.6 million, before ultimately selling it in November for the much lower price of $4 million.
Lowe has previously spoken about his essentials when it comes to property, telling ‘Property Brothers’ stars Jonathan And Drew Scott that he cannot stand houses that do not provide natural light.
During an appearance on real estate experts’ “Celebrity IOU” series, Lowe revealed his must-haves for a property renovation as he helped renovate his longtime assistant’s home. Carol.
“My thing about houses is that I’m all about the light,” he said. “Natural light is best. I can’t make a dark house. The no-no of no-nos is poor floor plan and flow, and not enough natural light.”
He added that merging the indoor and outdoor spaces is also essential, especially in Southern California, explaining, “It’s Southern California. If you don’t live half your life outside your home, then your home isn’t fit for California.”
